Switching device



Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR F. FOR-SBERG, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCHING DEVICE.

Application filed May 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR F. FoRsBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers,'in the county of llestchester, State of New York, have invented certain newv and useful Improvements in Switching Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic switching apparatus and more particularly to such devices for useV in connection with telephone or signaling systems.

This invention is an improvement over switching devices of the general nature described in British Patent 182,486, issued to lVestern Electric Company, Limited, aecepted June 28, 1928, which is directed to a switching device having camming cards for moving sets of active contacts into engagement with sets of passive contacts. The camming cards are suspended freely in position in a balanced condition, the pull of a suspending spring being counterbalanced b v the combined tension of the contact springs acting against the camming card.

In the above noted switching device, however, the camming cards when operated are subjected to some distortion, and this is particularly true in a switch Where the camming cards are associated with a comparatively small number of active contacts.

The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved form of switching device which will be simple, economical, reliable'in operation, and free from such objectionable distortion.

A feature of the invention consists in the combination of. normally disengaged contacts, camming cards for effecting the engagement of the contacts, and electromagnets for operating the said cards, with members for guiding the cards whereby the contacts are brought into engagement in a positive manner.

Other' features of invention and advantages will appear from the following detailed description and bythe claims appended hereto, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a partial front view of a switch embodying the features of this invention, showing one set of contact springs in operated position and several other sets in normal position. Fig. 2 is a side View of the switch shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a section of the support, the

1922. Serial No. 563,194.

camming card and guiding member partially cut. away and viewed in the direction indicated by arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is ar partial top view of the switch shown in Fig. 1 thereof.

The grid conductors comprising the wires generally designated by numeral 1 Fig. 1 are securely fastened at their ends to insulating members 2 and 8 each of which is rigidly fastened to the side plates 4t and 5 of the switch frame.

Supports .6, 6 etc. of what may be properly termed a contact unit, are of insulating material and are disposed at right angles to the direction of the length of the grid conductors 1 and on them are mounted the contact wires 7, 7 etc. The supports 6 are securely arranged on bars 17 and 18 by means of screws 19. They may be of any length and may carry any desired number of contact wires 7, 7 etc., depending upon the capacity of the switch.

The free ends of said contact wires 7, 7 are adapted to thread through camming apertures 2O in camming card 9 and lie when in normal position about midway between the adjacentl wires 1 and 1.

The contact wires 7, 7 etc. are preferably secured to support 6 in such a way that their normal tendency is to bear against their respective grid wires with the desired contact pressure. In the normal or unoperated positions of the camming card 9, the contact wires are restrained from making contact. but upon operation of the camming card they are permitted to move into engagement with the grid wires. Suitable means is provided for guiding the camming card and this consists of a channel-shaped guide 10 which is preferably made integral with the support 6 and in which the camming card is freely arranged. The camming card 9 is provided at one end with a helical spring 11 which is adapted to hook over the end of extension 12, of a bar 13. The other end of this plate is hooked on the arm 14 of an armature 15 arranged to be attracted by an electromagnet 16 whereby the camming card is moved in response to each energization of said electromagnet. In operation, the energization of one of the electromagnets causes its armature to be attracted, thus resulting in a movement of the corresponding camming card 9 against the tension of the retractile spring 11. The wires 7 thus move Vtiverelation with said Apassive neans for sliding 'said c'a'rd's zto 'effect lengagement between the flexible and pa's'sive 'co'ntC'S.' Y

siv'el Contact Wires, shaped Fguide ineinbers, 'sl'idfable insulating ca-rds j`arr-anged for moveanent Within sad guide members, sets ot flexible Wires extend ing' 'through said insulating "cards 'into/'operative relation with the passive contact wires, fand Inieai'is foi' nioving any one 'of said cards to ef'ectengagenient `between the con- 3. a 'sviftehrg inechanisni, sets of pas sivebont'act Wires, fa channel shaped guide Y, through the apertures in said card into operaft'ive'ifla't'ionto s'l idpfs' efconta'ct's, and means fr si'i'digsaid 'emu' in 'the 'guide `to effect connection between the active and passive contact Wires.

4. In fa switching mechanism, a set of passive conductors, a set of active conductors arranged coordina-tely to the iiist-nientioned set, la stationary support for safid active and passi've"co1fr`ducto1fs-, fa channel-shaped guide integral' with fsaid support, "a cahnming tc'a'rd associated 'with siti-d active 'conductors and v freshY farl'faig'ed in said guide, "and means 2. In a lswitcl'nng niechai'nsm, sets 'of stationary ch'aiinel for moving sai-d card in 4said guide.

. 5. In a switching in'echafn'isni, 'sets 'of .-'passivev contacts, sets of active contacts la'- ra'ngecfl ordinately to the flrstj-lm'entioned sets, "a 'canming' ca-'rd 2for each 'of said sets,

for 'independently "moving said lcard in said guides. f

osoAn LFO'RSBERG. 

